Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Reviews of Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1)

Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1)
Revenge of the MiddleAged Woman - Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1
Author: Elizabeth Buchan
The Market's bargain prices are even better for Paperbackswap club members!
Retail Price: $16.00
Buy New (Paperback): $12.79 (save 20%) or
Become a PBS member and pay $8.89+1 PBS book credit Help icon(save 44%)
ISBN-13: 9780142003725
ISBN-10: 0142003727
Publication Date: 12/30/2003
Pages: 352
Rating:
  • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
 262

3.4 stars, based on 262 ratings
Publisher: Penguin Books
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

53 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

achadamaia avatar reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 48 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 12
I couldn't get into this book and gave up after 70 pages. It's a little slow and too detailed for my tastes.
Cleo798 avatar reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 2 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 7
I could not get into this book at all. I felt like the main character was whining the entire time.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 8 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 7
This was so-so. I'm very fussy about my fiction--must be well-written, believable--and this basically met those qualifications. Not sure I would have made the same choices as the main character, and I could not stand many of the people in her life, including her daughter and her long-ago love, who conveniently resurfaces after 25 years. Also can be slow in places.....but decent read nevertheless.
katzpawz avatar reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 281 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Revenge may or may not be sweet, but surviving and going onward and upward certainly are. Rose is someone hidden inside most of us (gals) and her growth in the face of some really lousy breaks is uplifting.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 43 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Middle-aged with a husband who finds someone new, Rose deals with various emotions as she learns to "start over". Revenge can certainly be sweet!
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on
Helpful Score: 2
The title says it all, but it is about taking care of yourself after the husband leaves. Living an authentic life is the best revenge and how she loses herself and finds herself makes this a good read.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 160 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
What it's like to be 47, husband leaves you for another woman (your 29 year old assistant, who also takes over your job)and get booted out of your house. Rose Lloyd has been coasting along in her complacent life, when her world gets turned upside down by the above events. A Reader's Guide is included at the end of the book, with an interview with the author, and book club discussion questions.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 5 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This is a great story for women going through a divorce in mid-life. It is very uplifting.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 15 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Fun book on what happens to a woman whose life is turned up-side down when her husband leaves her for a younger woman.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 109 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
What do you do when a wonderful life comes to a screeching halt? This is a story of how one woman handled things and made me want so much to be like her! wonderful story, characters, and ending! Can't wait to read more of her books. This writer has enormous talent!
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 100 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
It took me awhile to get into this book. As a matter of fact I almost put it down a couple of times; thought it was too predictable. But then I found I liked the characters and the author did a good job of making them believable. I even liked the "new beginning" ending.
momrisner avatar reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 25 more book reviews
There were a few times I almost put this book away, but I am glad I didn't. It's a story about life for a Middle-Aged Professional Woman, with grown children and a busy husband who finds her life turned upside down. I don't want to give to much away though, but it is a good book. Like I said, I was not to sure at first, but the more I read it, the more I enjoyed it.
23dollars avatar reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 432 more book reviews
I read Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman for the April 2017 pick in my online book club, The Reading Cove. Honestly? I'm still yawning.

First off, the title is misleading - there is no revenge. Not even remotely.

I found the main character Rose too weak and static to engagingly fill 350 pages. Turns out she's just a shell of a woman who lacks identity without some relationship to complete herself (even if only with a cat!), and so you're basically reading about a woman yo-yoing from one man back to the man she'd replaced him with to begin with! Personal growth? Progress? I think not.

I thought the narrative was dull and flavorless, predictable to a fault. Rose makes zero evolution by the long-awaited end, and the relationship she develops with her husband and his mistress is nothing short of comedic! She did have some thoughtful introspection in the beginning but they were never developed, going nowhere fast.

I read a review on Goodreads that said something about this book being written for the "lowest common denominator" and I couldn't agree more. I can't recommend this to anyone really. I'd say you're definitely better off finding something else.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 80 more book reviews
Suddenly middle aged Rose finds herself with a husband who wants out of their marriage, who is moving in with Rose's co-worker, and to top all that, she loses her job to this same co-worker! How she picks up the pieces and starts over is a tribute to women everywhere.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 2 more book reviews
A gentle story of the best revenge...taken cold. If you've ever been jilted--a must read!
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 23 more book reviews
A look at middle age problems and one woman's way to handle them. At first she is terrified then energised to make changes for herself.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 11 more book reviews
I read this book as part of an on-line book club, with the author as one of the co-leaders in the group. I found the story to be enjoyable, very much a story of our times, and it was interesting getting insight from the author herself.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 29 more book reviews
Dry. Slow read. Picked it up in the airport during a trip...most of the time my finds are great, this one was slow. It's about a woman who after years of marriage, her husband leaves her for her co-worker. I didn't really like it as I would have handled the whole situation differently. I think this was just not my type of book.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 15 more book reviews
Subtle, yet realistic and believable revenge book.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 11 more book reviews
If you like English writing you will love this book!
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 18 more book reviews
Being divorced I could relate to this well-written book
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 21 more book reviews
Get ready to cheer for Rose Lloyd, a woman of young middle age who proves that starting over doesn't have an age limit. After twenty-five years spent juggling husband, career and kids with admirable success, Rose suddenly finds both her marriage and her job in unexpected ruin. Forced to begin a new life, she is at first terrified, then energized by her newfound freedom - it's amazing what prolonged reflection, a little weight loss, a new slant on independence, and some Parisian lingerie will do for the psyche! Insightful and full of a wonderful sense of the absurd, this triumphant novel will strike a chord with anyone who has ever wondered what Middle Age would look like from the other side of the looking glass (answer: much better than you could ever expect).
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 56 more book reviews
.
Took a while to get into this story, but I loved it.
m00nangel32 avatar reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 3 more book reviews
This book started out a bit slow, and sad.However the more I read, I found myself pulling for Rose a 40s something lady whose husband has left her for her assistant who is much younger.It is a book that will have you laughing and then crying.Crying if you find yourself in the same boat or similar. I stated out disliking this book, but after reading it.I think it is a good book and well worth reading.
getinmybellykelly avatar reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on
I was surprised but I actually liked this book quite a bit. Rose is a character who you find yourself first feeling sorry for then cheering for. A lot of books about divorce and that kind of thing are such downers and after a while you just want the people to quit their belly aching. But Rose was sad for an appropriate amount of time then really pulled herself together and came out on top. I thought the characters were well-written and dynamic and you were able to really see things from each of their different perspectives. I was slightly annoyed by the British language differences in the beginning but got used to it quickly. Overall, a quick, smartly-written read.
debontheweb avatar reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 18 more book reviews
A quick read. I'd recommend it, though there didn't seem to be an actual end.
AJones avatar reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 21 more book reviews
Living well is the best revenge. Buchan brought to life one of humanity's most common experiences.
GainesvilleGirl avatar reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 215 more book reviews
Just could not stick with it. Slow going, but well written. It's kind of hard to describe. While the characters are filled out, they lack pizzazz, maybe that's it. I skimmed it after reading the first third and found parts of it to be interesting. She grieved, she slowly pulled herself up by her bootstraps, then she found her way. Maybe in another frame of mind I would have been able to stay with it all the way.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 99 more book reviews
I loved this book. I found my self rooting for the main character; the one dumped by her husband for a younger woman.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 94 more book reviews
Starting over was never this much fun.
Rapunzelcat avatar reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 3 more book reviews
Very entertaining story of a divorced woamn moving on with her life.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 41 more book reviews
A must read for those women near or at middle age - simply great.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 18 more book reviews
Excellent book about a woman who unexpectedly finds her marriage and career in ruin. Funny and poignant with characters you truly care about. My only issue is why Rose, who's so capable and intelligent, turns into such a doormat??!! Still, you'll enjoy it!
re avatar reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on
A change of pace in reading for me. Worth reading.
quilty45 avatar reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 100 more book reviews
A bit predicatable but enjoyable. Middle age woman is left to start over again. It's funny, and an easy read.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 57 more book reviews
A good book with real-life situations: husband leaves for a younger woman, kids are grown up and the woman has to start a new life. The main character, Rose, writes about the emotions, and the tough situations and moves on with her life. I would like her as a friend.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 35 more book reviews
Funny and dead on target! Loved it!
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 10 more book reviews
Absolutely wonderful book!
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 13 more book reviews
Excellent book.....love the "karma"
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on
Soft, very British. Read it for the lovely descriptions especially of her children as opposed to the plot.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 57 more book reviews
Good novel about a marriage gone wrong and the strength of a good woman.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on
A different book in that the main character isn't young single and in London. A fun read.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 21 more book reviews
A mid-life adjustment of one woman whose husband leaves her for a younger woman, loss of her career and, surprisingly, it is more uplifing than it sounds.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 8 more book reviews
The word "revenge" has little to do with the actual story. This is a delightful story of a middle-aged woman who comes into her "own" and moves on with her life!
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 30 more book reviews
Relaxing read about a good hearted woman whose husband leaves her after 25 years of marriage for a younger woman. The book is about the dynamics of a family and the strength of the main character.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 25 more book reviews
An easy, thoughtful, engaging read. The story is about the break-up of a comfortable, long term marriage - from the woman's perspective.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 12 more book reviews
Fun book to read about life as we know it and how drama can be exhilerating. Better read by middle aged women.
Susanaque avatar reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 422 more book reviews
A thoughtful, intelligent, funny coming-of-middle-aged story. It is poised, witty and emotionally resonant.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 60 more book reviews
Very good story.
harmony85 avatar reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 982 more book reviews
"A thoughtful, intelligent, funny, coming-of-middle-age story"-the Boston Globe
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 15 more book reviews
European woman finds growing older is a good thing
pjmom8025 avatar reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 45 more book reviews
Not read.
reviewed Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (Two Mrs Lloyd, Bk 1) on + 10 more book reviews
Three cheers for women!